Florida inspectors to begin spraying medfly infestation

State inspectors are scrambling to eradicate a "serious infestation" of medflies that could threaten the state's $6 billion agriculture industry.

Inspectors found a single, female Mediterranean fruit fly in Umatilla, about 25 miles north of Orlando, on Monday. They intensified their trapping program and had found at least 50 more in an orange grove by late Wednesday, said Liz Compton, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Agriculture."It is what we consider a serious infestation," Compton said. "We've already gotten verbal approval from the EPA to begin spraying."